TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 3

[avalonmods]

{ QUICK NAV } Premise ⚔️️ Rules ⚔️️ FAQ ⚔️️ Taken ⚔️️ Reserves ⚔️️ Apply ⚔️️ Locations ⚔️️ Bestiary ⚔️️ Top-Levels Only ⚔️️ A ⦿ Soaking in Your Arrival KERPLUNK, SPLASH! Regardless of what you were in the middle of, you and your familiar have been magically pulled into the world of Avalon just above the Bay's chilly waters. After a brief plunge into the Bay, the rush of water filling your ears and soaking up into every creak and crevice of your body, you may need to cough to clear your airways when you rise above the surface. It's paralyzingly cold for a few seconds before you're approached by the Lady of the Lake beneath the water's surface. She puts a vial of a vibrant, glowing red Everwarm* potion to your character's lips. The icy water doesn't feel so icy once consumed and you'll be able to move your limbs enough to swim to shore on your own. She can't stick around to explain, she's got to get this to all the new arrivals! Many of which you'll see plopping in around you. If you can't swim, a handful of helpful ice turtles will scoop you up from beneath and drop you off at the shore. When not helping people, the turtles are going around and hitting the ice that keeps forming on the surface with their shells to keep the surface open for the falling arrivals or pushing personal items to the beach near the new arrivals they smell like (belong to). If anyone tries to ask the Lady of the Lake for directions, she will direct you to Archimedes at the Rent-a-Ride. If anyone with Animal Magic asks the turtles, they will give the full spiel, but very slowly, and they like to get off topic and gossip about other turtles you've never heard of. The shores themselves are littered with new arrivals complaining their way up a staircase carved into the walls of the White Cliffs. There is no railing, so be careful, but if you do fall, be prepared for a mysterious sand hand to reach out of the side of the cliffs to catch you. The hand will pat you atop the head twice before retreating back into the wall. This is the Cliff Beast; despite the name, he is quite friendly. B ⦿ The Caravan to Camelot Once everyone is wrangled up to the top of the White Cliffs, the handsome owner of the Rent-a-Ride, Archimedes, will distribute smart phones, a pair of earbuds, and a winter cloak** to everyone before getting them settled in groups into modernized carriages pulled by horses and give them a basic explanation of why and how they've been brought to Avalon: The rest of the universe is frozen in time and your character has been brought here by a familiar that was able to bond with them. They'll have to learn magic to help save their own world from destruction, but first they've got to get them to Camelot. It is here that you have the first opportunity to decide who they will be in their new home. You'll have about an hour to wander around here, meet and greet, and pet the horses before it's time to go. These carriages use fae technology that combats weight, so your character will be able to get in regardless of whether they're light as a feather or weigh two tons. The carts have air conditioning when it's hot, heating when it's cold, and a mystical shield to protect from bugs. There is also a mini-bar that pops out of the console with nip bottles. Characters can use their smartphones to connect to Camelot's internet service, avalononline (AOL), to chat with other characters, watch dumb videos, learn about the world, contact Camelot Support (they'll answer any questions they can for you, from how to use a smart phone to where to find quests and resources to learn more about your magic). Be careful if you decide to use your phones while in the caravan-- if you don't use those earbuds and start forcing everyone to listen to your nonsense, Archimedes may make you walk. C ⦿ The Red Spring The journey from the White Cliffs to the City of Camelot is a long one, and the first evening you arrive you'll end up spending at the Red Spring, a booming resort town. Because of the volume of new arrivals and vacationers, inn rooms are assigned two-to-a-room. The rooms have two twin beds, a bathroom, a mini-fridge and microwave, and a TV equipped with a couple of entertaining video games and a few free movies. If you don't want to relax in the room, try taking a dip in the spring for another chance to meet your fellow travelers. The waters have restorative properties that help horses and travelers recover quickly when drunk. It is known to relieve stress, improve energy levels, and mildly accelerate healing. It may be a little chilly when you get out though, so make sure you don't slip rushing back indoors when you get out! The springs are also home to a large training grounds just outside town limits, where there are teachers who will teach basic magic safety and help you discover what kind of magic you have together with other new arrivals. Try target practice, obstacle courses, meditation circles, and other ways to try to figure out just what you can do... if you didn't already have an accidental discovery on the ride there. Everyone needs a little fun from time to time; the locals have put together the annual Snow Games. As with all things Avalonians plan, magic plays a part in the competition. There will be three separate tiers for characters to enter. Each Tier will have its predetermined track or ring, set up and ready to go. A ⦿ Foot Races The footraces will be run on foot, competitors will be tied together in a three-legged race-style competition... except this binding is magic! The only way to end it is to cross the finish line. Along the route, racers can expect to run into minor obstacles such as snow bunnies, puddles that can’t be jumped, a flock of snowbirds giving hassle, trees that upend their own roots and move to confuse the pathway. Whatever the interruption, it will come in the form of either a small creature made of magical snow or some minor hindrance to the path. Competitors will have to use magic to overcome these obstacles. Whatever your magic class, find a way. B ⦿ Sled Races The sled races will be run on magically driven sleds requiring two drivers. Races will not run on one kind of magic alone so be sure to mingle with other classes for this competition. Whatever magic class a character is, they will be required to feed magic into the sled to keep it going; the more magic, the faster it will go. On the path, obstacles will come in the form of wholly washed out portions of the track that need to be reformed using magic to pass. Use elemental magic to flatten rocky areas or wash away debris. Larger creatures such as snow deer and moose congregate in large groups blocking the path, so an animal magic user could be useful for asking them to move... someone with cognitive magic could try their hand at a little hypnotizing a fellow newcomer with big muscles to move fallen logs for them. Healing mages could easily use buffers to support their fellow magicians with temporarily increased speed or strength. Use light magic to sneak past living obstacles, or dark users can cast a love enchantment and make a love match between two moose even though it's far from spring. There are tons more creative uses of magic to help you get through the obstacles on the sled's pathway. Find a creative way to use magic and get through the obstacle; make sure you are faster than the other guy. C ⦿ Snow Chicken Snow Chicken, Magic Vs Yeti Style... This competition will differ from the previous two; it is not a race to the finish line but instead a competition to be the last team standing! Participants will pair off and one person will climb on the shoulders of the other and try to wrestle their opponents off without getting knocked off themselves. The field is full of snow, with more coming from the sky. Your opponents will be Yeti. Try to stay on, Yeti are no slouches so teams will have to work together using their magic not only to stay put but to knock your big-footed opponents to the ground. Just... be wary, these friendly yeti are surprisingly big on hugging as a form of congratulations. It's much more challenging to escape from a yeti's embrace than it is to knock one over. Trumpets hail an announcement by the town crier in front of the castle. More than a few people pull out their phones to record it and post it to the AOL network for all to see. "Hear ye, hear ye! Our noblest of lords, King Arthur of Camelot, will host a tournament on this January the 20th on castle grounds. All are welcome to participate in competitions to determine those most skilled in both the physical and magical arts. In preparation for the upcoming tournament, we are sending envoys to Celliwig. In Celliwig lies the Magic Mirror of the South, gifted to Camelot by the Fae, and a means to communicate with their royal court at will. It is a vastly important task in your journey to become magicians and to show your good will toward the fairies. Parts of the mirror's frame have been damaged. We will need those brave of soul and pure of heart to retrieve the crystals needed to repair the mirror. Those interested, the party leaves at dawn." A ⦿ Brave of Soul The first stop on the trip to restore Celliwig's Mirror is to a cave just north of Albion's White Cliffs. No longer a part of the cliffs themselves, this outcropping goes underground and to a dank, dark cave. It is the only place which a special prismatic crystal grows. The crystal itself is hidden deep in the cave, which can only be passed by passing into a zone in which magic cannot be used. Characters will enter the cave and must face an illusion of one of their greatest fears. Those frozen in fear will pass out and wake up outside of the cave with no crystal. Those who run will find themselves turned out of the cave as well. Only those who recognize and face that fear deep in their soul will find the path forward. The fear will turn into a small light spirit, which will smile and reveal to them the crystals they seek. B ⦿ Pure of Heart The second stop is past a shanty town and at the bridge north of it. The bridge itself is broken, only the ends in existence. The water itself is impassible, white rapids sweeping away anything that steps into it. Silver crystals are on the other side of the bridge, visible in an outcropping from where they are, but it appears there is no way around as magic does not work on the bridge. The only clue as to how to get across is a plaque in the dirt before the bridge. "The pure of heart will form the bridge with a leap of faith." Since everyone has gone as a group, it will be possible to see others walking over the water once one person figures it out. Though the clue may seem challenging, it is quite straight-forward. Characters who are pure of heart will find that if they believe in themselves, they will be able to step off the bridge and hardlight will form beneath their feet to allow them to step over the water. Those with ill intentions or those who are willing to harm others to get their way will slip into the rapid waters and may need to be saved by other characters. At least you're off the bridge, so magic will work to that end. C ⦿ Celliwig, the Splendored Court As the travelers leave the bridge, they turn toward the shanty town-- wood shacks and failing farms. Not a place anyone would want to visit. Those who try to run ahead will find that it disappears as if an illusion, and they will find nothing. Those who stick with the party will wait a fair distance away until the sun sets. Once the sun begins to fall beyond the horizon, the small town will begin to shimmer brilliant whites and colors-- a glamour hiding its true glory, a city made solely of crystals and glass: Celliwig, the Splendored Court. Though smaller than Camelot, every part of the city is beautiful and glistening. The population is small and it's very quiet and serene for a city. The people of the city don't seem keen on speaking to outsiders, and will typically scatter before anyone can really engage them. They seem humanoid in nature, but not entirely human. Even the animals around the city seem to be ethereal in nature, gliding more than walking. The party is led to a hall at the center of the city-- the hall of mirrors. Those who have succeeded in obtaining crystals need to bring them and set them on a table placed before a mirror at the end of the hall, which appears to have a number of empty settings. It's unclear what happened to the mirror previously, but now it's necessary to restore it to garner the favor of the fae. Once crystals have been delivered, people will be free to explore the quiet city, but it seems most of the city is closing shop while the visitors are around. There is a restaurant that will serve visitors food, though all of the dishes are of the molecular gastronomy variety. Alcoholic drinks seem to come in vapor form and flashes of light if ordered, but seem effective nonetheless. The local general store seems to be willing to sell supplies to weary travelers as well, but that's about it. ...That said the inn doesn't seem particularly keen on allowing visitors in strangely, so you're either going to be sleeping on the iridescent streets or camping just outside the city if you prefer the soft grass and the darkness of night. Just be aware, if you leave, you won't be able to get back into this mysterious city so easily. MOD NOTES: • All test drive prompts are open to anyone in the game at any time to create your own logs with, but this post should have top-levels by potential new characters only. Current characters may reply to any threads, but should not top-level comment on this post. • If your application is accepted, you may accept TDM threads as game canon as long as both players consent. Characters may begin threading as soon as their journal is accepted to the communities. • If nothing here tickles your fancy, try one of this month's Quests for your TDM prompt. • Note that the third prompt in this TDM will have consequences on the game's progression. After the application round, a poll will be put up to see how many characters who are in the game, both new and old, are able to obtain the crystals from the Brave of Soul and Pure of Heart prompts. • The first "Arrival" prompts are present on every TDM, but may contain seasonal tweaks for flavor. All other prompts will change monthly. • Questions about this TDM's content? Comment here! If you have a question about the game at-large, please head over to the FAQ. *This Everwarm does not count toward your potion collection for those who wish to take up potion brewing. You must obtain Everwarm from the Elphame Trader's to count. **Jackets come in a variety of neutral colors, enchanted with a fit-adjustment spell that will adjust to your character's size.

Comments

[corpsewarblade]

A "war of sorts", huh? Guess things got pretty rough, then?

[It made some degree of sense, but she was curious on what sort of 'war' he really meant.

Then he mentioned the time he was from and her eyes grew wide.]

Wait, what?? I'm- I'm like from 2012. That's so weird... how's that even possible??

[mayoninofukucho]

It's a lot to take in, isn't it?

[Poor Mukuro, she doesn't know half of it yet. He continues, staying alert to their surroundings as they continue to follow the hellhound.]

Don't worry, I know my way around 21st century technology and whatnot. We had an alien invasion, so we're pretty much up to date with you guys.

[He decides to tell her about his homeworld's Amanto War rather than the various battles over Prismatica, that ought to be slightly less confusing.]

There was an actual proper war when the Amanto first arrived on Earth, but I was still a kid then, and we weren't really on the frontlines in the countryside where I grew up. After we humans lost the war there's been peace, officially, but we in the Shinsengumi keep fighting the anti-foreigner faction who want to drive the Amanto back out.

[corpsewarblade]

...Yeah, that- that's a lot.

[She too was keeping her eyes out - at the very least, the trees were starting to thin out. That was a good sign!]

The Shinsengumi being your unit, right?

[mayoninofukucho]

Yes. Or, well... it's a pretty big police force, about 300 men strong, split into 10 units.

[He doesn't need to tell her that he's the vice-commander; those numbers already sound braggartly enough. It's not like his position has any weight here, anyway. He just wanted to clarify. He feels watched again... honestly, he doesn't really want to look behind him, but he dares to venture a glance, and sure enough, there they are again, the staring eyes in the darkness. He lowers his voice.]

Don't turn around, but they're back.

[He somehow manages to say that relatively calmly, but it's taking all his strength to not break into a stampede. What the hell do those creatures want from them?! Are they going to eat them? Ugh, no, why did he think that?!]

[corpsewarblade]

Woah... that's not bad at all.

[Mukuro would definitely be impressed if she knew he was the vice-commander to a unit like that. It reminded her of Fenrir a bit- still, she didn't have much time to think when he gave the alert.

Those creatures were back.

Mukuro tensed up at that, focusing on listening out for movement rather than turning around now. Dammit. She thought once they'd cleared the dense part of the woodland, they'd be in the clear.]

...I'm guessing they want to make sure we leave.

[mayoninofukucho]

Yeah. They really don't want us here, do they?

[Another backwards glance confirms that at least they're not pursuing them. Now he, too, notices the trees gradually giving way to the open area; that's a relief. He ardently hopes that it's the end of the forest and not just a big clearing.]

Whoever investigates next, they should come in the daylight.

[To be fair, apparently the creatures only come out at night, but they have to be hiding somewhere during the daytime, right? He feels like the people of Avalon would have a better shot trying to find their nests or caves than stumbling around in the darkness under their watch.]

[corpsewarblade]

Yeah, kinda makes you wonder what they're even hiding in there, right?

[Mukuro's Hellhound wandered out ahead of them, taking a sniff at the air before she turned back and nudged her head in the direction of the open area.]

...Let's go. I think we're nearly out of their engagement range.

[Putting a bit more speed into her step, she headed out after her familiar, breathing a sigh of relief as she saw the stars open up above them. Once she turned back around, she found that the two of them were standing on the path the entire time- how had she not noticed that??]

What- we...you're just seeing this too, right? Something in that place was definitely messing with me.

[mayoninofukucho]

What the-- what the hell?! How did..?!

[He looks back into the forest, lifting his flame high to cast a light. Everything now looks normal and unassuming, and the eyes are gone, along with the oppressive feeling of being observed.]

Okay, yeah, we're done here. Let's get back to civilisation.

[He's so over this creepy place!! He dismisses the flame and briskly strides ahead until he remembers Mukuro's heels and slows down to wait for her. If he familiar allows it he'll pat her on the head and quietly address her, too.]

Thanks for leading the way. I really didn't want to spend the whole night in there.

[corpsewarblade]

Yeah, definitely... ergh I swear I'm not even gonna try and sleep! Like I'll definitely take a caffeine crash over any weird dreams from this nonsense.

[Whilst Mukuro was venting, the Hellhound lowered her head and allowed him to pet her, tail wagging in appreciation at the compliment.

She was a good girl!]

... Right, I'm gonna get back and get a bath. See you around, yeah? Thanks for backing me up back there.

[mayoninofukucho]

I'll bring you home. Just in case, you never know.

[He doesn't want to walk back alone after this!! She has some guts to want to part ways just outside the forest!]

You're also staying at the hotel, right?

[It's actually quite a long way home, but if they're together it won't be as scary, even if each of them just ruminates about the events of the night and their overall situation.]